Update on Northland case, and two cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation
Sixteen people have been identified as potential close contacts of the previously reported case in Northland. Of those, 15 people have returned negative tests, including a household contact of the case, the Ministry of Health has confirmed this afternoon.
An additional close contact is awaiting their test result. A total of 157 staff from the managed isolation facility at Pullman Hotel have been tested, along with 192 guests currently in the facility. Of those, 30 still have test results to come, and all others have returned negative results.
Contact tracing staff are following up with 357 people who departed the managed isolation facility between 9 and 24 January. Of that number, 325 have been contacted, are isolation and have been or are being tested. The remaining former guests are being followed up today.
187 people received a push notification as a result of having scanned into one of 31 locations of interest. A further location was added yesterday and is on the Ministry’s website. At this time 154 people have been identified as ‘casual plus’ contacts, as a result of either the push notification or after speaking with Healthline following media publicity. These people are being tested and are isolating until they receive their result.
The source investigation into how the Northland case was infected continues today at the managed isolation facility. This includes reviewing CCTV footage at the facility and looking at whether the infection may have occurred from person-to-person or surface transmission, or airborne transmission, including possibly the ventilation system.
We’d like to take this opportunity to again thank the tireless efforts of all staff working in managed isolation and quarantine facilities around New Zealand. Your frontline efforts to help break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 and keep New Zealanders safe and healthy are truly appreciated.
New Cases:
There are 2 cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation to report in New Zealand since our last media statement yesterday.
There have been no new cases in the community to report.
Definition of a contact
There have been a number of calls over the past two days to Healthline from people wanting clarification between close and casual plus contact
A close contact is someone who’s more likely to be at higher risk of being infected because they spent time in close proximity to a confirmed case during the case’s infectious period.
A casual or casual plus contact is someone who has had only limited exposure to a confirmed case, usually by being in the same location of interest either at the same time or soon after a confirmed case.
Testing in the community
Yesterday more than 1500 people were tested at community testing centres around the region.
Northland DHB says that the rate of testing per 1,000 people was greater for Mâori than any other ethnicity in Northland.
The high demand at our COVID-19 testing sites may mean delays, and our request is to please be patient. Extra staff from Counties Manukau and a number of volunteers are working at sites around the Northland region to support the testing centres. Frontline staff are working hard to ensure everyone who needs to be tested gets a test as soon as possible.
There is capacity to test everyone, who needs a test– but we need your help to get testing running quickly and easily.
-If you were not at a location of interest at the stated times and you have no symptoms you do not need to be tested.
-If you were at the locations of interest at the times stated, you need to get a test, and remain isolated until you receive the result.
If you have symptoms but have not been to a location of interest stay home and call Healthline for advice.
Testing centres around Northland remain open and free today for people who need a test. Nine community based testing centres have been operating since Sunday afternoon.
You can find more information about these locations here. Please note, one location has changed – the Ruakaka testing centre has moved to the racecourse on Peter Snell Road.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Service has a full list of community testing centres throughout the region here https://www.arphs.health.nz/public-health-topics/covid-19/where-to-get-tested/
